Monday, November 10, 2008

Can you believe AT&T is trying to charge me for installing a new phone jack in my house! When they did not! The phone jack in this house has been here for well over 50 years see photos below!

If you're seeing those ads that imply that AT&T is giving the same service at the same price as Cable - they are NOT!

The phone service is suppose to be $30.00 per month with free installation - when I got my first bill - there were all kinds of nickle and dime charges for such things as a Federal tax of some type - universal life line (what in the world is that!) all of these .49 cent to $2.00 extra charges amounted to about $10.00 per month, so the service was not $30.00 per month but was $40.00 per month.

Don't get me started on the Internet service - it's wireless and keeps dropping, not to mention it's half the speed of cable but the same price cable charges!

TV service well that was suppose to be much better than Cable! Not so, got a couple of extra channels on their *basic* service but it's not any better than cable!

Barack Obama is signaling a shift in tactics and temperament as he moves from candidate to president-elect, picking sharp-elbowed Washington insiders for top posts. His choice Thursday for White House chief of staff - Rahm Emanuel, a fiery partisan who doesn't mind breaking glass and hurting feelings - is a significant departure from the soft-spoken, low-key aides that "No-Drama Obama" surrounded himself with during his campaign. And transition chief John Podesta, like Emanuel, is a former top aide to Bill Clinton and a tough partisan infighter, though less bombastic than the new chief of staff.

The selections are telling for Obama, who campaigned as a nontraditional, almost "post-partisan" newcomer. People close to him say the selections show that Obama is aware of his weaknesses as well as his strengths and knows what he needs to be successful as he shifts from campaigning to governing.

"No one I know is better at getting things done than Rahm Emanuel," said Obama, who also spoke by phone with nine world leaders Thursday.

Obama, who survived a long contest with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, also has made it clear he will rely heavily on veterans of her husband's eight-year administration, the only Democratic presidency in the past 28 years. Podesta was President Clinton's chief of staff, and several other former Clinton aides are on Obama's short lists for key jobs, Democratic officials say. Some of them helped write a large briefing book on how to govern, assembled under Podesta's supervision.

Obama himself brims with self-confidence, to the point that some people view him as arrogant. But to a greater degree than many presidents, he appears willing to lean on Washington insiders associated with other politicians.

Still, he is also certain to bring to the White House a cadre of longtime aides.

Emanuel accepted Obama's offer with a gesture of bipartisanship, addressing part of his statement to Republicans. "We often disagree, but I respect their motives," Emanuel said. "Now is a time for unity, and, Mr. President-elect, I will do everything in my power to help you stitch together the frayed fabric of our politics, and help summon Americans of both parties to unite in common purpose."

That would come as news to some Republicans.

In contrast to Obama's collegial style and that of his top campaign advisers, Emanuel is known as a foul-mouthed practitioner of brass-knuckled politics who relishes both conflict and publicity. He once mailed a dead fish to a political foe.

But he also earned a reputation for pragmatic efficiency, whether the goal was winning House elections for Democrats or working with Republicans to enact Clinton's centrist political agenda.

"Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together."

House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio was less kind. He called his appointment an "ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil and govern from the center."

Democrats say Obama is self-assured enough to acknowledge his limitations by the appointments he makes.

"I know what I'm good at. I know what I'm not good at. I know what I know, and I know what I don't know," Obama once told Pete Rouse as he prepared to move up from Illinois state senator to the U.S. Senate.

Thus, when Obama was elected to the Senate, he picked Rouse, a press-averse former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, to run his Capitol Hill office. When Obama embarked on his presidential campaign, he chose advisers with presidential campaign experience like the studious David Plouffe as campaign manager and the even-keeled David Axelrod as chief strategist.

Axelrod is likely to get a job as a top adviser at the White House, and Robert Gibbs is the likely pick for press secretary. Gibbs has been Obama's longtime spokesman and confidant, at his side from his 2004 Senate campaign through the long days on the presidential campaign trail.

In Emanuel, Obama has chosen a fellow Chicagoan who intimately knows both the White House and Congress, as a former political and policy aide for President Clinton and a current Illinois congressman who is the No. 4 Democrat in the House.

Obama frequently sought Emanuel's advice during the presidential race, according to one campaign official.

Emanuel said he weighed family and political considerations before accepting the job on Thursday, according to Democratic officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid angering Obama. He will have to resign his congressional seat and put aside hopes of becoming speaker of the House.

With the selection, Democrats say Obama seemed to recognize he may have his work cut out for him in taming the House: Liberals may try to push their own agenda, not necessarily Obama's. They say Emanuel is someone who not only can stand up to Congress but also maneuver through it to achieve a chief executive's goals.

And, Emanuel provides something Obama lacks - a temperament and willingness to snarl, even at his boss' allies.

To varying degrees, the party's liberals and labor leaders are wary of Emanuel. He helped Clinton push the North American Free Trade Agreement through the House, angering the left.

Nonetheless, Democrats praised the selection. Said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.: "He is the perfect choice. He knows the Hill, he knows substance, he knows politics, and most importantly, he can get the job done."

Even before Tuesday's election, Obama had turned to Podesta to start laying the foundation of an Obama administration. His role became official Wednesday with the announcement that he, along with Rouse and close Obama family friend Valerie Jarrett would lead the transfer of power and chair a transition advisory board stocked with longtime Democratic Party hands.

Separately on Thursday, Obama met privately at the FBI office in Chicago with U.S. intelligence officials, preparing to become commander in chief. He received his first president's daily brief, a document written mostly by the Central Intelligence Agency and including the most critical overnight intelligence. It is accompanied by a briefing from top intelligence officials.

Later, Obama met with his transition team leaders who are tasked with building his entire administration in 10 weeks.

Obama advisers said the president-elect was emphasizing care over speed, with no plans to announce Cabinet positions this week.

Names of people said to be under consideration by the transition team spread through the rumor mill. Some Democrats say retired Marine Gen. James Jones was being discussed as secretary of state. Also, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican who endorsed Obama, was said to be interested in becoming education secretary.

Obama has indicated he'd like a bipartisan Cabinet, and Republicans who are potential candidates include Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel and Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar.

The president-elect planned his first public appearances since his victory for Friday, a meeting with economic advisers followed by a news conference. Obama and his wife, Michelle, also planned to visit the White House on Monday at President Bush's invitation.

Obama planned to stay home through the weekend, with a blackout on news announcements so that he and his staff can rest after a grueling campaign and the rush of their win Tuesday night. He is planning a family getaway to Hawaii in December before they move to the White House - and to honor his grandmother, who died Sunday at her home there.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Yep, the women candidates in this election cycle have been treated terribly!!

We all saw what happened to Hillary Clinton!

And now Gov Palin is being smeared and attacked!

Who cares if Palin doesn't know Africa is a continent! She was running for VP of the US, she knows where the lower 48 are, hey, that's good - did anyone ask Obama where the US is!!! She's new on the political scene, holy cow, even Obama had a year to come up to speed, she had just a few weeks...you sure didn't see anyone giving Obama a hard time when he stumbled on issues....those people trashing and smearing Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin are just plain self serving morons, and we can see through you, so maybe it was a good idea not to give your name/s! After all Oprah started a school in Africa instead of the US! So let Oprah's cult take care of Africa! There is so much corruption in that continent, any money sent there just goes into the pockets of dictators! We really need to be more careful where we send money anyway! I think the lower 48 is a better investment! (Oh, dear, am I going to need to keep an eye on my mail for a dead fish??)

This country has a bad attitude towards women! Palin can be a mother and Gov., that's her style and apparently that works for her and her husband! Who are these people that smear her over this stuff! This is not a party issue, this is an attitude issue with folks in this country and women in public office apparently! I found the trashing and smearing of both Clinton and Palin extremely disgusting! And for the women in the Democratic party that put up with that kinda treatment, you set women back 200 years!! So it's like we've made no progress at all on this issue!!

The Federal Government apparently has not done enough to eliminate gender bias from our society!! Gittar Done, Obama!!

Gov. Palin! I hope you come back in 2012! You were a breath of fresh air in a stagnant cesspool called DC!

1. A Nation to Nation relationship;2. he will appoint an American Indian policy adviser to his senior staff (Remember DC is far removed from Indian Country - unless this is going to be a travelling adviser);3. an annual gathering at the White House (White House PowWow?);4. End mismanagement of trust funds;5. Settle unresolved cases - (hmm, the only way to settle the Freedmen vs Cherokee Nation case is to let us be a Tribe of Cherokee - our people have spoken by the way - however, the Congressional Black Caucus continues in a mean spirit to promote the Freedmen - the Cobell Trust Fund case has been ruled on by the courts, is he suggesting he's not going to follow it? Another Jackson here? Although probably would benefit these trust account holders if he didn't and raised the settlement);6. Deal with tribes in a Fair and Honest way - (those are earned via action and depend on fulfilling the rest of his promises);7. Adequate funding of Indian Health Care - now, the US Treaty obligations don't include the merger of Federal Medicare with Indian Health Services and that in this writer's opinion is just plain going to not work - I could be wrong but both of these health care systems are in serious need of adequate funding - lumping the two together puts the tribes in competition with seniors on Health Care - not a good idea - not to mention most seniors in the Fed Medicare program require what is called supplemental insurance - apparently Medicare doesn't cover hospital stays or drugs thus the need for a supplemental *insurance policy* to cover this, which seniors must pay for - these supplemental policies then pay physicians a set amount for each docs appointment etc - which a few years back created real problems - docs were complaining that they needed to see an overwhelming number of patients to meet expenses and then could only spend about 5 minutes per visit with each patient, hardly enough time to make even a diagnosis - many docs at the time closed their doors - Indian Health care is a treaty right and thus mandatory on the Federal Government - so will we get the same health care that the DC Congress folks get i.e. the Congressional Black Caucus in particular - I really doubt it - since a lot of this would be probably contract health care for Indians and the IHS has long used the excuse they don't have funding - so although some congress folks believe Indians don't have *friends* on the right congressional committees - Listen Up congress, we don't need friends - we got treaty rights!;8. So lofty promises on Indian Education - not sure where he's going to get the money for this but who knows, I guess the printing presses at Treasury are running pretty good;9. a general promise of help to Indian Country communities - again, if the funding is there, more government dependence? again just general promises;10. promise to Native American Vets - anyone remember Walter Reed Hospital?;11. A promise to never forget us. (well, this one is interesting - maybe he can do an update column each month in Indian Country Today, so we can all remain informed on exactly what he's doing and/or has in mind for Indian Country)

Well, I guess we will see - trust is based on conduct and let's face it, political promises do not amount to action on his part - so we will see. One promise he didn't make was to leave us alone to develop our own identity and preserve our own culture or to develop our own economic communities without strings attached to any federal funds that may come down the road - so we will see, we will see.

Hope for the Native Nations does not lie with Obama, it lies with each and every Native American to make inroads into the US political process - Rep Tom Cole has been alone far to long in Congress and needs lots of company.

You know, I'm finding many, including younger folks are believing this: Social Security is gone! I wasn't around when Social Security was started but every and I mean each and every year there is an election - there is this scare tactic that social security funds are gone or won't be there when we or younger generations retire! So for what, at least the last 75 years or so this has been the battle cry of some politicians...just ain't true folks! The bad part about social security is: it's not enough to cover expenses when you retire without some other sort of additional income. Just that simple!

This battle cry among politicians was also used when these IRAs and 401K plans were being promoted...well, I guess we've seen what's happened to those investments...but at least in some cases the stock market WILL come back, chicken little will continue to lay her eggs and life goes on.

The cost of living will continue to rise and taxes will continue to go up...so although common sense seems to evade some of those folks in DC...life will continue on earth....:)

Hey, I remember when it cost a dime to go to the movies and a nickle for the popcorn and that was in Collinsville Oklahoma! And now what, here in Orange County, CA in 2008 it's $10.00 for the movie ticket and at least $5.00 for the popcorn. Although I must say most of the movies today aren't worth spending $10.00 on, too much violence in them....:)

I also raised two children on a whole lot less than what any of the politicians in Washington DC earn in one year's salary...in fact I don't think my income for my entire lifetime has ever equalled what they make in one year...I guess clinging to my faith was a good thing....:) I didn't have the luxury of voting myself a raise! Yep that's what congress does as well, they vote themselves a raise each year! So I suspect any new taxes will go into their pockets first, regardless of what they're promising to do with it.

About Me

I am a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and now live in Oklahoma -- The baskets you see here are traditional weave baskets but commercial materials. Any time any commerical products are used the basket is classified as a contemporary Cherokee Basket. When natural materials such as River Cane, Honeysuckle etc is used with natural dyes, then the basket is classified as a traditional Cherokee Basket. I am also a member of the California State Bar